One year experience

[MME Farmer]

Against my better judgment I would like to make some comments and observations as I'm nearing a year with my GTPE. Most of this has been said many times here so bear with me. In my career I have spent millions and millions on mostly farm equipment but also trucks, pickups, and cars. This has been the most enjoyable purchase that I have made. I have some over 18k which is unusual as we normally put around 12k on vehicles which says something. Most of the miles have been hands-free which has been very enjoyable. The performance and energy costs have been terrific. The seats are very comfortable. I can get in and out with ease. 1pd is terrific. I like to use the speed limit read feature especially through the small towns here. Once in a while it will read the co rd sign so co 87 gets your attention. I just recently replaced the Pirelli buckboard tires that were wore out with only 17.4k. I see why they call them zero, someone had a good laugh when they introduced them, they were skis in the winter and someone should have known not to deliver a car with these 45 degree tires to Mn in January. I put on a set of the Continental extreme contact by a rec here. On the verge of amazing, this thing doesn't seem to know the difference between a dry road and an icy snow packed one. On the town snow packed streets it thinks it's July. They seem to be quieter and ride better, I'm sure I'll lose some range but it's going to be worth it. For most of a week we had a stretch of road that was mostly ice and snow pack, most traffic was 30 - 40mph but this thing was very solid at 60mph. I suspect that since it's heavy, well balanced(a diesel 4wd pickup is relatively light in the rear), and you can apply the power so smoothly-no shifts, and of course the tires must be doing very well is the reasons it does so well. I suppose at the speeds I drive the odds of planting it in a snowbank or ditch are high, I understand there are only front tow spots so that should work well!

I have had the HVBJB failure but it didn't strand us and my dealer and Ford did an excellent job and it was less than 2 weeks. I also feel quite misled on the 5 sec deal as I had to inform my dealer after a few months thanks to this forum. It would seem that it wouldn't have taken much of a hardware or engineering change to have made an additional 5 sec and I would have been satisfied with that. Ford is going to take a beating for this. Being from the north a bigger heater would have been nice, it's embarrassing that our old DTS can cook you out on a -20F day and in the mustang we'd be having thoughts about building a fire in the back seat. I have many of the usual annoyances, PAAK works about 70%, kick to open 50%, the little lock button 60%. I would still like to be able set my remote start settings the way I would like. I can surely live without these things, but I did pay for them. I know my combines have at least 13 computers and they have quirks once in while, too. I know this thing has at least that many or more possibly. I have had vehicles with no issues and trouble-free but then they didn't have near the features this thing does. No cooled seats was a big blunder, I would think those from more tropical climates would really be torqued. I suppose this is what owning the first m/y is like, it will probably get better and thanks to the OTA updates they already have. I bought this car because I wanted something different and hadn't bought a new car for 40 years and I am very glad that I did. I don't believe EV's are the answer as we are putting the cart in front of the horse, but it's been a blast. Sorry just an old guy rambling on.

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[worachj]

I’m from Mn too, just placed an order. I read that battery efficacy drops anywhere from 30-40 % during the winter months. What have you noticed for your car? What’s your summer and winter ranges like? –Thanks.

 

[MME Farmer]

I’m from Mn too, just placed an order. I read that battery efficacy drops anywhere from 30-40 % during the winter months. What have you noticed for your car? What’s your summer and winter ranges like? –Thanks.

In the summer we usually show around 270 to 280. Usually in the winter we get down to 160 to 170. As you saw after the update it shows 257 now. Haven't driven since the update, but am sure when I drive 20 miles the range will go down 30-35 miles. I'll be shocked if it doesn't. Before the update it did seem like it was getting pretty pessimistic. It's funny driving 62 instead of 64 seems to make a difference, but who wants to do that.

 

[Fremont Kid]

In the summer we usually show around 270 to 280. Usually in the winter we get down to 160 to 170. As you saw after the update it shows 257 now. Haven't driven since the update, but am sure when I drive 20 miles the range will go down 30-35 miles. I'll be shocked if it doesn't. Before the update it did seem like it was getting pretty pessimistic. It's funny driving 62 instead of 64 seems to make a difference, but who wants to do that.

I live in rural Illinois farm country, so I can relate even though winters are not as cold nor as long as MN...still I am glad we received our MME early November because we are experiencing and learning cold weather performance initially, i.e. the lowest range performance, longest charging durations, cabin preparation, charge scheduling during our utility's lowest rate times, etc. All will help when spring arrives.
I mostly like the instant and smooth acceleration. No hesitancy. Steering and handling help me drive to maintain 'traffic flow' and adequate distance between vehicles. I maintain adequate distance behind farm vehicles to prevent debris from bouncing into the car.
I am tempted to take a 45 mph rated curve as fast as my old Mercury Capri - not saying how fast. But the Capri was really low to ground, manual trans and had sway bars. Even though the MME weighs 5K lbs, so it should hold to the pavement, I don't want to tempt fate.
Yes, we experience technology issues. Mainly updates between the Ford Pass app on our cell phones and the MME computer. I'm hoping Ford will add a 'synch with MME' button in the Ford Pass app in the near future to force consistency. Mostly, we are learning how to ensure the driver's profile is active and let the passenger change the active cell phone if we are both in the car. Blue Cruise occasionally does things that we don't expect, like change the speed when we reengage after an interchange. Could be due to the speed limit signs before, after and if the speed has changed. Just confusing.
Overall, Ford has been great about listening, providing advice and providing email addresses for ongoing support.

 

[MME Farmer]

I live in rural Illinois farm country, so I can relate even though winters are not as cold nor as long as MN...still I am glad we received our MME early November because we are experiencing and learning cold weather performance initially, i.e. the lowest range performance, longest charging durations, cabin preparation, charge scheduling during our utility's lowest rate times, etc. All will help when spring arrives.
I mostly like the instant and smooth acceleration. No hesitancy. Steering and handling help me drive to maintain 'traffic flow' and adequate distance between vehicles. I maintain adequate distance behind farm vehicles to prevent debris from bouncing into the car.
I am tempted to take a 45 mph rated curve as fast as my old Mercury Capri - not saying how fast. But the Capri was really low to ground, manual trans and had sway bars. Even though the MME weighs 5K lbs, so it should hold to the pavement, I don't want to tempt fate.
Yes, we experience technology issues. Mainly updates between the Ford Pass app on our cell phones and the MME computer. I'm hoping Ford will add a 'synch with MME' button in the Ford Pass app in the near future to force consistency. Mostly, we are learning how to ensure the driver's profile is active and let the passenger change the active cell phone if we are both in the car. Blue Cruise occasionally does things that we don't expect, like change the speed when we reengage after an interchange. Could be due to the speed limit signs before, after and if the speed has changed. Just confusing.
Overall, Ford has been great about listening, providing advice and providing email addresses for ongoing support.

Had a mercury capri, too. Think it might have been a 68?, not sure maybe older. Went on our honeymoon with it. At least you don't have the tires not to be used under 45 degrees.

 

[MME Farmer]

I’m from Mn too, just placed an order. I read that battery efficacy drops anywhere from 30-40 % during the winter months. What have you noticed for your car? What’s your summer and winter ranges like? –Thanks.

D

I’m from Mn too, just placed an order. I read that battery efficacy drops anywhere from 30-40 % during the winter months. What have you noticed for your car? What’s your summer and winter ranges like? –Thanks.

Did you order a GTPE?

 

[Fremont Kid]

D

Did you order a GTPE?

I ordered a Premium w/91kW extended range battery, AWD. Cyber Orange color. Not many added options.

 

[worachj]

Did you order a GTPE?

No, its a Select AWD Vapor Blue Metallic. In winter I'm only doing city driving, but wanted to know the battery hit during winter. You gave me great information. So, the battery hit isn't a big problem for me.

 

[MME Farmer]

I ordered a Premium w/91kW extended range battery, AWD. Cyber Orange color. Not many added options.

That's good, was just going to warn you about the tires if you had ordered a GTPE

 

[MME Farmer]

I’m from Mn too, just placed an order. I read that battery efficacy drops anywhere from 30-40 % during the winter months. What have you noticed for your car? What’s your summer and winter ranges like? –Thanks.

Went to fargo yesterday, first trip after update, drove 130 miles and the GOM went down 230 miles. We were fighting a pretty good wind, 1.9 m/kw. On way home with wind 2.4 m/kw. I assume it will get more accurate after more charges. Drove on a lot of ice with 3 rigs in ditch and again tonight, blowing across melting and freezing., and now that I have decent tires it is unbelievably sure-footed.

 

[worachj]

So, if my math is correct the GOM was off by 56.5 %. Way higher than I expected. Not sure how to interrupt the GOM and what the battery efficiency really is. But I expect a pretty good hit during winter driving. Not a problem for me.

Glad to hear about how it handled during your drive. Heard nothing but good things about the cars winter driving ability.

Was the heater enough to keep you comfortable, or lacking?

Thanks! I really do appreciate your input.

 

[MME Farmer]

So, if my math is correct the GOM was off by 56.5 %. Way higher than I expected. Not sure how to interrupt the GOM and what the battery efficiency really is. But I expect a pretty good hit during winter driving. Not a problem for me.

Glad to hear about how it handled during your drive. Heard nothing but good things about the cars winter driving ability.

Was the heater enough to keep you comfortable, or lacking?

Thanks! I really do appreciate your input.

I think the GOM will get closer, it was actually pretty accurate before the update. It doesn't seem to have changed the m/kw though. It was in the teens so the heater was more than sufficient, you get below 5F below and then it gets iffy. I have 4wd pickups, one with winter tires so I imagine that one should be as good or better, but I'll drive this car on ice any day, terrific.

 

[Mirak]

Good writeup.

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